Leather-working machine.



No. 69|,306. v

Paten'ted lan. I4, |902.'

E. E. CHAIN & W. B. TURNER.

LEATHER wonkma MACHINE.

(Application led Sept. 16. 1901.)

4 Sheets-Sheet l.

(Nn Model.)

No. 69l,306. Patented lan. I4, |902.

E. E. CHAIN & w B. TURNER. LEATHER WORKING MACHINE.

(Applicatin filed Sept. 1B. 1901.)

4 sheets-sheet 2,

(No Model.)

Patented Ian. I4, |902.

LEATHER WORKING MACHINE.

(Application filed Sept. 16, 1901.)

4 Sheds-Sheet 3.

E. CHAIN e; W. I. TURNER.

LLI

(No Model.)

n4: nomas vm'sws cn, PHoTouno.. wnsnmaom l:4 c.

E E E Ru Patented lan. I4, 1902. E. E. cHAlN & w. E. TURNER.

LEATHER woRKlNG MACHINE.

` {Applcaton led Sept. 18, 1901.)

4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

(No Model.)

I INVENTURS UNITE-D -STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELMER E. CHAIN, OF BOSTON, AND WILLIAM B. TURNER, OF MELROSE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNORS TO THE TURNER TANNING MACHINERY COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF WEST VIRGINIA.

LEATHER-WORKING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 691,306, dated January 14,1902.

Application filed September 16, 1901. Serial No. 76,555l (No model.)

T0 LLZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that We, ELMER E. CHAIN, of Boston, in the county ofSuolk,and WILLIAM B. TURNER, of Melrose, in the county of Hiddlesex, State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Leather-W orking Machines, of which the following is' a specification.

This invention has 'relation to puttingout machines, so called, of the type wherein are employed a traveling fiat table or support upon which the hide or skin may be laid with portions lying against both faces and the end thereof, oppositely-arranged working mem'- bers adapted to put out orotherwise treat those portions of the skins or hides which lie against the fiat faces of the tables orsupports, and a flexible supplemental member for putting out or treating the'portions of the skins or hides on the ends of the tables.

The object of the invention is to provide certain improvements in machinesof the type referred to'by means of which the flexible supplemental member may be caused to perform its functions with greater efciency than has hitherto been possible.

To this end the invention consists of an improved pressure mechanism for the flexible member by means of which the said member may be caused to engage throughout its entire length the skin on the table, whereby it is practically operative from end to end.

The invention further consists in other features which are fully illustrated upon the drawings, described in the following specication, and pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings, which represent one embodiment of the invention, to which, however, it will be understood we are not limited, Figure 1 represents a side elevation of the machine. Fig. 2 represents the machine in longitudinal section looking from the other side. Fig. 3 represents a section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 represents a portion of the iiexible supplemental member. Fig. 5 represents an edge view of the same. Figs. 6 and 7 represent inl detail one of the pressure devices. Figs. 8 and 9 represent one of the supports. Figs. 10 and 11 represent secbelt 302 and a chain-wheel 303.

tional views and illustrate different positions assumed by the operative parts of the machine. Figs. 12, 13, and 11 illustrate the operation of the supplemental member.

The machine is provided with the usual frame, comprising the side standards 20 20, connected by crossed braces 21 and tie-rods 22 23. Many of the general features of the machine are similar to those illustrated and described in Patents No. 584,123, dated June 8, 1897, and No. 615,656, dated December 6, 1808, to William B. Turner, to whichV reference may be had for more detailed descriptions of the mechanisms herein briefly referred to.

24 25 indicate, more or less conventionally, oppositely-disposed working surfaces or members, each of which comprises a plurality of Working ribs, edges, or devices which are adapted to engage and rub or scrape a skin or hide. v

26 26 indicate a series of work-supports or tables each of which has two Hat faces and curved ends, as best shown in Fig. 2. Said supports or tables are operatively connected to an endless carrier 27, actuated by sprocket- Wheels 28, supported by a shaft 30, journaled in the frame and passing around idlers 29, journaled on stud-shafts 31. Any suitable form of mechanism may be employed for rotatingA the Vshaft 30 to effect a longitudinal movement of the carrier to cause the supports or tables to pass in succession between the working surfaces or members. The mechanism shown comprises a main driving-shaft 301, to which power is imparted by a chain On the shaft 301 is a pinion 301, intermeshing with a gear 305 on a shaft 306, the latter carrying a pinion (not shown) intermeshing With agear 307 on shaft 30. The shafts 301, 306, and others hereinafter referred 'to are journaled in one of the side frames and in a bearing-bracket 308, bolted to said frame.

The working members are held yieldingly toward each other, whereby they separate slightly as the work-supports pass between them. Some or all of the blades of said members are independently yielding and are supported by frames 310 311, sliding in guide- IOO Ways provided therefor by the main frame. The two frames are connected by links 312, arranged in pairs and pivoted, respectively, to bell-cranks 313, pivoted to a cross-plate 314c at each side of the main frame, said bellcranks being connected by a rod 315. Counterweights 316 are adjustably mounted on elbow-levers 317, pivoted to the frame 310 and connected byliuks to theoframe 311. This mechanism holds the frames together, so that they may yield to accommodate inequalities in the hide or skin.

33 34 and 35 36 represent spirally-bladed rolls placed in the path of movement of the support. Said rolls operate to smooth out the wrinkles from the hide or skin or to otherwise treat it, as occasion may require, and are located, respectively, in front of and in the rear of the working members 24 25. The rolls also operate to hold the hide or skin upon the support as the latter passes between them. Rolls 33 34 are driven by sprocket mechanism from shafts 306 and 331, which are geared together, and rolls 35 36 are similarly driven from shaft 301.

In operation the skins or hides are loosely folded over the supports at the front end of the machine, so that they lie on both faces of the support, with portions lying around the front ends thereof, as shown in Figs. 10 to 14. Stretched across the machine is a cross-bar 36, having arranged at regular intervals a series of pairs of lugs 37, and pivoted to each pair of lugs is a chain consisting of a series of connected links 3S.' Said links may be formed in any desired way, and each one is provided with a blade, rib, or edge 39. When said chains are hanging free from the crossbar 36, the edges 39 lie in the same plane and constitute a supplemental working surface or member, which intersects the path of moveyment of the work-support,so that when said support emerges from between the working surfaces 24 25 it engages said member, which yields, and in so yielding causes the edges or ribs to successively engage and rub that portion of the hide or skin which is bent around the end of the Work-support, as will be described more in detail. The ribs 39 are formed in two differentlengths and are alternated, as shown in Fig. 3, so that the ends break jointthat is to say, in a single line across the machine there is iirst a short edge or blade, then a long edge, then a short edge, &c., while in the next line there is rst a long edge, thena short edge, and then a long edge, &c. The effect of this `is to prevent the creasing of the leather or hide or skin as it is engaged and treated by the supplemental member. Each pair of chains has the last few links oonnected by cross-bars 40, the remaining links being otherwise disconnected. There are sufficient chains in the series to effectively treat the largest hide or skin which may be placed conveniently upon the carrier, and they are long enough to subject the skin or hide at the end of the carrier to the samedegree of scraping or rubbing that the portions of the hide on the flat faces of the support receive from the members 24 25. The series of chains hang from the lugs 37 and rest against a dat plate 42, the face of which is shod with leather, as shown at 43, to deaden. sound, to provide a friction-surface for said edges, and to coact with pressure devices to be described. When the chains rest against the said plate, they are practically perpendicular to the path of the supports, as shown in Fig. 12.

As thus far described the machine possesses no features of our invention.

In connection with the chains, pressure devices are used to hold them yieldingly as they are drawn along by the support.

44 indicates a shaft which is journaled at its ends in slides 45,said slides being arranged near the standards 2O of the machine and the said shaft lying underneath the endless carrier. Each slide is yieldingly supported by a bracket 46, which has the forwardly-projecting arm 47 and the rearwardly-projecting arm 4S, and said slides are provided with rollers 481, which engage the said arms to reduce friction.

Fulcru med on the brackets 49 are levers 50, which are connected by links or connectingrods 51 with the front ends of the slides. Each lever 50 has a curved finger or end 52, which is adapted to be engaged by the end of the table or support near its outer side as said table or support moves out from between the Working surfaces to swing said levers rearwardly, and thereby move said slides with them until the support rides over the said ends or fingers 52. The front ends of the slides are connected bysmall chains 53 with arms 54, said chains passing over rollersat the end of Ithe arm 47. On each arm 54 there is a Weight 55, adjustably secured thereto by .a set-screw 56, the office of the weights being to hold the slides 45 forward until engaged by one of the work-supports and to return said slides to normal position after released from said supports. Each arm 54 is provided with a lateral arm 57, having on its ends a cam-shaped or segmental extension 58, which is adapted to be engaged by the under surface at the side of any one of the carriers to support the weight 55 and prevent it from dropping suddenly after'the lever 50 is released by the support with which it is engaged. The supports 26 are so spaced that when the levers 50 have been thrust backward by one support on the upper leg of the carrier another support on the lower leg thereof rides under the segmental section 5S and supports it until the fingers 52 are released. Then as the carrier which had engaged the segmental extension slides from under, the shape of the extension is such (being eccentric of the fulcrnm or pivot 59 for the lever 54) that the weight 55 is allowed to swing downward gradually and slowly return the slide 45 to its normal position.

On the shaft 44 there are a plurality of IOO IIO

sprocket-wheels 60, there being one for each chain, and said sprocket-wheels are so arranged that the teeth thereof engage the crossbars or pintles of the links thereof. Said wheels and their hubs, as shown in Figs. 3, 6', and 7, are held against axial movement by yokes 61, rigidly secured tothe shaft by a setscrew 62.

Engaging the hub 63 of each sprocket-wheel there is a friction-block 64, against which presses a spring 65. A set-screw bears against a cup 66, in which said spring is seated, said screw having an enlarged head. By adjusting the screw the frictional engagement of the friction-block with the hub may be varied.

When the flexible member is hanging loosely and is resting against the plate 42, the slides 45 are in the position showh in Fig. 10, so that the sprocket-wheels engage the links of the chains, as shown in Fig. 12. During the first portion of the movement of each support as it emerges from the working members it is caused to engage the flexible member near its fastened end, and as said support progresses farther it carries the flexible member with it, the free end of the latter being held frictionally by the pressure devices to cause said member to be doubled about the end of the support, as shown in Fig. 13. When the support, however, has progressed far enough to engage the fingers 52, its further movement causes the frictional devices to be carried along in the direction of movement of the support, the flexible member in the meantime, by reason of its being fastened at one end, being drawn around the end of the support to cause the ribs or edges thereof to rub or scrape the hide or skin on the said end. 'The' outward movement of the pressure de- Vices is for two purposes. It provides for the end of the member being engaged and retarded for a. much longer time than if the pressure devices were relatively stationary, and at the same time it permits the flexible member to drop back to its original position after the support has moved from under it, and it will be noted in this connection that by the provision of the segmental extension on the arm 57 the shaft, with the friction-wheels, 1s held in the position shown in Fig. 11 until the flexible member has had time to drop ont-o the plate 42 before the said extensions are released f rom the support with which they were engaged. As shown upon the drawings, the end of the flexible working member may engage the wheels 60 as it drops; but since itis flexible'it is not held in inoperative position by saidwheels and drops readily therefrom. T he resistance of the flexible member is in a direction directly opposite the path of movement of the carrier, so that the action of the edges or ribs of the flexible member is only on that portion of the skin which is on the end of the support, said ribs or edges exerting but little pressure against the hide on and undter the top and bottom faces of the suppor i In explaining the construction and operation of the invention as embodied in a complete machine we have described features of which we are not the inventors, and we now disclaim them, as follows:

We do not claim the combination with a flat Work-support, about the end of which a skin or hide may be treated, of one or more members for treating that portion of' the skin which lies upon the end of said support, asit forms the subject-matter of an application of Elmer E. Chain and lVilliam A. Copeland, Serial No. 75,556, of even filing date herewith.

We do not claim a flexible lnember for treating the hide or skin on the end of the support without shifting the skin, as it forms the subject-matter of an application of Harrie A. Ballard, Serial No. 75,552, led September 16, 1901.

blades or ribs with the spirally-bladed rolls or the mechanism for driving said rolls, as of our invention, as it forms the subject-matter of an application of William B. Turner, Serial No. 27,932, filed August 24, 1900.

Having thus explained the nature of the invention and described a way of constructing and using the same, although Without attempting to set forth all of the forms in which it may be made or all of the modes of its use, it is declared that whatis claimed is- 1. A machine of the character described comprising a traveling support having flat faces and an end, a flexible working member in the path of said support for operating on the skin on the end of the support, a pressure device for said member, and guides for said pressure device whereby it is movable in a direction parallel to the path of movement of said support.

2. A machine of the character described comprising a traveling support having flat faces and an end, a ilexible Working member in the path of said support for operating on the skin on the end of the support, a pressure device for said member, and means for moving said pressure device in a direction parallel to the path of movement of said support.

3. A machine of the character described comprising a traveling support having fiat faces and an end, a flexible working member in the path of said support for operating on the skin on the end of the support, and pressure mechanism for said member including a plurality of toothed Wheels.

4. A machine of the character described comprising a traveling support having fiat faces and an end, a flexible working member in the path of said support for operating on the skin on the end of the support, and consisting of a plurality of articulated ribs, and ai pressure device consisting of a series of friction-Wheels.

5. A machine of the character described, comprising a traveling support having flat faces and an enda flexible workingmemberin the path of said support for operating om We do not claim the combination of the i IOO IIO

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the skin on the end of the support, and consisting of a plurality of articulated ribs, and a pressure device consisting of a plurality of toothed friction-wheels.

6. A machine of the character described comprising a traveling support having flat faces and an end, a flexible Working member in the path of said support for operating on the skin on the end of the support, and a pressure mechanism coacting with said members and consisting of a plurality of toothed Wheels, a shaft for said Wheels, movable bearings in which said shaft is mounted, and means whereby said bearings are moved, snbf stantially as described.

7. A machine of the character described comprising a traveling support having flat faces and an end, a flexible working member inthe path of said 'support for operating on the skin on the end of the support, and a pressure mechanism coacting with said member and consisting of toothed Wheels for engaging said member, and provisions whereby said Wheels are held bodily stationary during the initial engagement of the member and support, and are then bodily advanced with the support. I

8. A machine of the character described comprising a traveling support having tlat faces and an end, a flexible Working member in the path of said support for operating on the skin on the end of the support, and a pressure mechanism consisting of slides, a plurality of toothed rolls supported by said slides, and Weights attached to said slides.

9. A machine of the character described comprising a traveling support having fiat faces and an end, a flexible Working member in the path of said support for operating on the skin on the end of the support, and a pressure mechanism consisting of slides, a plurality of toothed rolls supported by sai d slides, Weights attached to said slides, and means located in the path of the support and connected to said slides, whereby said slides are moved by said support against the stress of the Weights. y

10. A machine of the character described comprising a traveling support having flat faces and an end, a flexible Working member in the path of said support for operating on the skin on the end of the support, and pressure mechanism consisting of a stationary member and a rotatable member between which the Working member is engaged.

11. A machine of the character described comprising a traveling support having flat faces and an end, a flexible Working member in the path of said support for operating on the skin on the end of the support, and pressure mechanism consisting of a stationary plate against which said Working member rests, and a rotatable member for engaging said Working member.

12. A machine of the character described comprising a traveling support having :dat faces and au end, a flexible Working member in the path of said support for operating on the skin on the end of the support, and provisions against which said Working member normally rests.

13. A machine of the character described, comprising a traveling support having flat faces and an end, a flexible working member in the path of said support for operating on the skin on the end of the support and pressure mechanism consisting of a shaft having a plurality of independently-rotatable toothed Wheels, and a friction device for each Wheel.

14. .A machine of the character described comprising a traveling support having iiat faces and an end, a flexible Working member in the path of said support for operating on the skin on the end of the support, and pressure mechanism controlled by said Work-support, said mechanism including means to engage said member, a weight, and iieXible connections between said meansand said weight.

15. A machine of the character referred to comprising a plurality of traveling Work-supports, a flexible working member arranged in operative relation to said Work-supports for treating a portion of the skin on each support, a pressure mechanism, and means controlled by an inoperative Work-support for holding said pressure mechanism in an inoperative position.

16. A machine of the character referred to comprising a plurality of traveling Work-supports, a flexible working member arranged in operative relation to said Work-supports for treating a portion of the skin on each support, a pressure mechanism including a plurality of toothed wheels, a weight for holding said Wheels in a predetermined position, and an arm adapted to be acted upon by an inoperative Work-support for holdingsaid Wheels in a different position to permit the resetting of the Working member.

17. A machine of the character referred to comprising a plurality of traveling Work-supports, a liexible Working member arranged in operative relation to said Work-support for treating a portion of the skin on each support, a pressure mechanism .including a plurality of toothed Wheels, a weight for holding said Wheels in a predetermined position, and two arms connected to said wheels, one of said arms coasting With the operative Worksupport and the other with an inoperative Worksupport for regulating the operation of said Wheels. 4

In testimony whereof we have affixed our signatures in presence of two Witnesses.

ELMER E. CHAIN. WILLIAM B. TURNER.

Vitnesses:

MARCUS B. MAY, C. C. STECHER.

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